Making A Change

Hello everyone and anyone!

I don't know how people read these-or if they are even read at all-but I'm going to start posting things as a way to hopefully keep motivated and stay on track. The picture I have of myself is my new goal. When I first signed up for MyFitnessPal, this was my starting point-not too bad, definitely needed to lose a little but nothing unmanageable. I stayed at about that size until two years ago, when I unfortunately became very ill at the young age of 21. My breathing became very labored, I was always dizzy, too tired and weak to do anything. Running more than 30 seconds threw me into coughing fits and light headedness. That should have been my first sign something was wrong knowing about a month before I was jogging a mile a day. The only thing I could attribute it to was my weight-over the course of about four months I gained 70lbs-this was an alarming rate. As I gained more, I felt more and more depressed, and ate more and more in a way to feel even just a little better. Due to my labored breathing and the dizzy-lightheaded spells, I stayed in bed-only to get up to go to class, and sometimes not even that would motivate me. I stopped working out, let my grades slip, and lost many friends. After this four month period, my health problems hit their peak, and I was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with six blood clots in my lungs, which had caused a pulmonary infarction (a blockage of blood to an area of the lung, which in turn kills the lung tissue that no longer recieves the oxygen blood carries). My lung almost collapsed, and I was lucky it didn't-and lucky to be alive.

The recovery period is painful and slow. I have finally gotten to the point where I feel strong enough to walk long periods of time without hyperventilating, but my new problem is the weight. As I've been recovering, I have not changed my eating habits, and have not lost any weight. Thankfully I haven't gained any either, but it's time to get serious. Both my physical and mental health depend on my weight loss, and I want to feel good about myself again.

Right now, I say goodbye to my unhealthy ways. I want to begin anew, and explore new foods and healthier options. I want to be able to hike again, and swim without feeling embarrassed in a swimsuit. I want to keep up with my three younger siblings, and look nice in my work clothes. I want to get my mind and body back up to speed.

Right now is the time I make my declaration-it is time to say goodbye to an unhealthy past, and hello to a healthy future.

Thank you for reading my post and have a wonderful day/night!!